Alabama

Saks Congressman Mike Rogers creates leadership PAC

WASHINGTON - U.S. Rep. Mike Rogers has joined four other members of Alabama's congressional delegation and created his own political action committee, a fundraising device that members of Congress use to support other candidates and curry favor with party leaders.

The Saks Republican, in his third term, said he's starting the PAC because he hopes to one day have a shot at a committee chairmanship.

"The fact is, if you want to be in leadership in Congress ... you've got to demonstrate you're a leader, not just on policy or subject matter expertise, but in doing the things that get you in the majority," Rogers said in a recent interview in his Capitol Hill office.

There are more than 400 such "leadership PACs" run by current and former members of Congress, according to a tally by CQ MoneyLine. They work like any other PAC in that they raise money from individuals and other PACs and then distribute it to the campaign accounts of others.

Where the money comes from and where it goes all must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission in regular reports.

The fund is separate from a member's own re-election account.

Rogers' new American Security PAC has not reported any financial activity yet. The name, however, is reflective of one of Rogers' committee assignments and key areas of interest - homeland security. Because so many Republicans have decided to leave Congress next year, fewer senior members can move up the ranks, and longevity for Rogers could lead to a high-ranking slot on homeland security, agriculture or armed services committees. He wants to use the new PAC to help elect other Republicans and be a team player.

"When our leadership looks at folks for committee chairmen and leadership posts, that is a big factor they look at," Rogers said. "If you want to be ordinary, you just don't do it. But if you want to be viewed as a potential leader, you've got to do this extra work."

Rogers said he expects to raise money from the same sources who finance his re-election campaigns, mostly Republicans from Alabama and people and PACs that represent finance, real estate, insurance, health care, agribusiness and defense. So far in this election cycle, 80 percent of his contributions have been from Alabama, according to the Center for Responsive Politics.

Rogers is expected to draw Democratic opposition in the 2008 race for the 3rd Congressional District of east Alabama. He won his third term in 2006 with 61 percent of the vote.

Davis may follow:

Rep. Artur Davis, D-Birmingham, also said he is considering starting a leadership PAC.

"The utility of a leadership PAC is it gives you extra funds to support candidates around the country, and it gives you some extra funds to use toward paying your dues requirements," Davis said. Both political parties expect payments from members to help the national party.

Alabama's delegation has two of the most generous leadership PACs in Congress.

Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., leads the way with $2.2 million in his Defend America PAC. It has already handed out $200,000 to other candidates in the current 2007-08 election cycle.

And Rep. Spencer Bachus, R-Vestavia Hills, has given away the 11th-highest amount of leadership PAC money so far this cycle, about $235,000.

Bachus' Growth & Prosperity PAC showered other Republicans in recent years as Bachus campaigned to be named chairman of the House Financial Services Committee. Democrats won the majority in 2006, but his strategy paid off, and he is now the ranking Republican on the panel. His PAC reports cash on hand of $113,500.

Rep. Terry Everett, R-Rehobeth, had his eye on being chairman of the House Agriculture Committee and started the Grow America PAC, which handed out about $14,000 this cycle. But Everett, in his eighth term, recently announced he will not run for re-election.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., runs Tallatchee Creek Inc. PAC, which has handed out about $80,000 and has about $8,500 on hand. Senators tend to slow their leadership PAC activity when they are up for re-election, as Sessions is next year.